Stuck
by LoversLove
Summary: Emma's life is starting to feel like it's stuck in a rut. Some surprises are gonna make it hard for her to stay in that rut. Review
1. Chapter 1

Emma watched her world slip into a rut. She was walking down the same corridor, to the same room, to the same friends, then back off to the same classes, or same boyfriend. She was bored. Her world had lost its color, and everything to her seemed to fade to black and white, or even worse, gray. She stared as her best friend turned into a serious actress, and became less like the wild and crazy Manny she loved. She sat aside as Liberty made the decision to go and join another sorority and then go off to law school. She sat, and did nothing.

She sat on her bed, staring at her phone, knowing that any second, Manny would call her so that she could run lines with her again, or Kelly would make a booty call. She sat, and stared. The blonde failed to see the point in doing anything else; being that nothing else would come of it. Her phone buzzed on queue, only the call wasn't from someone she expected it to be from.

She answered nonselantly, as if she had better things to do, because she wasn't going to let anyone know how boring her real life was. Her eyes widened as she heard to voice on the other side of the phone. She tried to shake the shocked look off of her face, but found it was permanent. She could barely hear what he was saying.

"Emma? Emma? Come on, I know your there, and I know you answered."

Emma looked down quickly at her phone and took a long deep breathe, praying that she didn't sound like a complete moron.

"Yes, Peter?"

Emma's stoic exterior was back, she feigned boredom, but secretly hung to every word that was coming out of her phones speaker. She only wished neither one of her roommates were to come back and find her in such a state. They would be completely flabbergasted.

"Look, Emma, I know we didn't exactly handle the break up to well, and I know were not considerably close… But I was hoping I could come down to Smithdale and take a tour… With you?"

The brown eyed beauty let her mouth hang open and stared dumbly at the phone. She hadn't talked to this boy in about two years, except for snide comments in the hall, and he was asking for a tour? Was this his way of asking for forgiveness? She swallowed the lump in her throat, and tried to speak clearly.

"Peter, you framed my friend for doing drugs, got him kicked out of school, and got him almost thrown into prison, and you want me to take you on a tour of Smithdale? Are you serious? Is this your twisted way of asking for forgiveness?" She smiled, feeling confident that her enthusiasm was well hidden.

"Kind of… Emma, look, I want to make things good between us. I mean, what's the point of hating each other? I mean, I've changed, you've changed… Maybe our relationship can too…I mean as friends…" Emma analyzed the words carefully, it was hard to make sure he was being sincere over the phone, but he sure sounded like it.

She sighed and relented, telling him that the weekend after the next he was to come up and she would give him a tour. And with that, he thanked her and both hung up.

Emma flipped her phone closed and walked over to her mirror, taking a good hard look at what she saw. She had grown a tiny bit, gain a little more cleavage, but all in all she thought she looked the same. Her hair had come back blonde again, only slightly darker, but it didn't seem to matter to much. She sighed, trying to think of more ways that she had changed as a person since Peter.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a frantic Manny bolted through the door, throwing her bags down on her bed, and pacing around the room. And with that the routine was back. Emma settled back into her place on her bed, and waited for Manny to unload her many burdens on her.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma slipped out of Kelly's messy apartment silently, hoping not to wake her boyfriend. She locked the door behind her and made her way towards the parking lot. She pulled out her pink phone and called Manny, hoping her friend wasn't busy. She desperately wanted to go shopping for something new and colorful, hoping that it would put another spark in her boring life.

Like Peter's phone call had. He was planning to come up next Saturday, and she had yet to tell her roommates or her boyfriend. Just another reason to call Manny. She walked down two flights of stairs and sat through nine rings before her friend managed to pick up her cell. She answered out of breathe, asking Emma quickly what she wanted.

"Are you busy now? Cause I was thinking we could use some girl time, like you, me, coffee. You in?" Emma's voice was laced with fake enthusiasm, which she hoped her friend wouldn't pick up on. Emma was also a good actor, not that she had thought too much about it. She smiled as her friend eagerly agreed, and promised to be out of the dorms in fifteen minutes.

Emma got into her car and drove to the dorms, thinking the whole time about how she really hasn't changed. As she pulled into the lot, she saw her friend sprint out of the dorms, sweating slightly. Emma made sure to praise her quick changing skills when she entered the cool car. As they pulled out, Manny noticed her friends focused face.

"Emm, is there something wrong? You seem, distant?" Emma sighed and looked at her friend quickly, deciding that this was the best time to tell her about Peter's impending visit.

"Everything's fine Manny, its just, I talked to Peter yesterday and he's coming up to tour the school and I don't know, I was just thinking about high school, and how I haven't really changed at all." Emma let the words slip out of her mouth faster then she intended. She didn't have to look at her best friend face to know she was shocked. I mean she would be too, if someone who framed her ex suddenly came back into her life.

"He's coming up…? What the hell Emma? Come on he framed Sean and got him thrown in jail!" Manny was practically yelling at the driver, but Emma had expected this. She wasn't going to cry, just explain.

"Look Manny, he's sorry, and wants to be friends. I have in no way forgiven him for what he did to Sean, but I'm going to be civil towards him. I'm taking the high road here." She glanced at her friend, who was taking all she had just said in, and then she smiled as her friend nodded. Her friend broke out in a wide smile, "and you say you haven't changed since high school. If you had that choice in high school, you would have hit him."

They both entered the shop, and separated. Manny found a nice quiet booth in the back while Emma went to get some coffee. While she was ordering, she couldn't help but notice a guy in the back was staring at her. She turned towards him, trying to see if she knew him, but he turned his head quickly. She rolled her eyes at his childish behavior, picked up her coffee and went to Manny. As she was walking back, she saw the man's face. There was no way. It was Chester.

Chester, the boy who had moved in next to her the year before she had met Peter. Perfect. She sighed and made her way over to Manny, and told her quietly. Manny grabbed her coffee and strode out, not wanting to see her old crush. She smiled lightly, and looked back at him as they left, making eye contact. Her heart skipped and her face became red, he got cuter.

Emma thought about him the whole way back to the dorms. They had spent the summer together, as friends, even though she definitely had a little thing for him. But by the end of summer he had to move to the states. She had no idea why, but she remembered the night before he moved. She had snuck over, and they were sitting together on his roof. He told her he was going to miss her the most. She had cried a little bit, but then he had kissed her. It had been a perfect night.

She sighed contently at the distant memory and how it had paved the way for a dramatic yet fantastic year. Manny turned to her as she parked in the school lot. "So Emma, do you think you're ready to see Peter again? I mean, what are you going to say to him?" Emma's eyes widened. She had totally forgotten about him.

Manny laughed at her friends scared reaction, she had obviously paid no mind to the impending visit from her ex. Emma looked over to her friend, pleading her to help her. Manny sighed, and let a small smile out.

"Fine, I'll help you. But if you are going to see him again, you got to look hot!"

Emma eyed her friend as if she had grown another head. Looking hot for Peter hadn't been apart of her life since high school, so why did it have to be apart of it now? Manny sighed, her naïve, sad friend.

"Em, if you're going to see your ex, on purpose, then you have to make sure you look hot, so he knows what he's missing."

Manny's words made sense to her, strangely. She sighed and agreed to her friends will, letting Manuela Santos take over her wardrobe. This was going to be hard to explain to Kelly. She relaxed on her bed and let Manny get to work, sitting and thinking about her day, and more importantly, the two boys that suddenly made their way into her life again.


	3. Chapter 3

One more day till Peter. Emma sighed and looked at herself in the mirror, wearing an outfit designed by Miss Manny Santos. One that under any other circumstances she would never be wearing. She wasn't even comfortable wearing it in these circumstances. Emma turned to her friend, sitting on her bed chuckling and taking pictures. She should have known she couldn't be trusted with something this serious. She was one day away from seeing her ex, and her friend had dressed her up as a skank. This was perfect.

She turned back towards the mirror, adjusting the small, see through white top, trying to find a way for it to cover her stomach. She was starting the hate tube tops. She was dressed in a small, black and white outfit, one that would sound classy by any other means. It consisted of a small, white tube top that stopped directly after her bust and a small black mini skirt, almost guaranteed to show off her underwear. Mix in some black pumps and she was ready to become a lady in the night.

"Manny, not that I don't love your taste in clothes, but this is so not my style." Manny erupted in laughed, falling back on the bed, finding this whole situation completely amusing. Emma glared at her friend, finding her amusement annoying and out of place. Her friend gained her composure slowly, tears in her eyes still. She got up from her place atop her bed, and found her way behind her friend, fixing the skirt before bursting out in giggles again.

"This isn't the outfit I was actually going to get for you! I can't believe you actually put it on" She spun back to the bed, holding her sides. Emma's face became livid, before she looked back to the mirror, and giggled. She could have not put the outfit on, she saw how small it was before it was on. She started to giggle more and more, before she fell onto the bed with her friend. As they laughed, Manny found her way to the end of the bed and to a large bag also filled with clothes. She tossed it over to her practically nude friend, who grabbed it and looked at the contents, making sure they were her size.

Manny kept laughing as her friend put the outfit on, and smoothed it out against her skinny body. It was perfect. It was low cut, yet still classy and fashionable. She looked over at her friend, forgiving her for the previous outfit and thanking her profusely for the new one. It was a nice, light blue low cut dress. It clung to her curves perfectly and ended mid thigh. She looked perfect, and she knew it. Peter was going to think so too.

Manny smiled cockily, and started praising herself for a job well done, before telling Emma to take it off. Emma folded it and put it away; making sure that it wouldn't wrinkle. Sighing, she got dressed again; this time putting a simple low cut orange top and shorts on. She jumped on the bed where her friend had laid down, and demanded they go out. Her friend got up and smiled, before rushing to her closet.

Emma waited patiently while her friend dressed, looking out the small window near the bed, thinking of things to say to Peter the next day. That is, she was, before she saw a familiar boy walk by. Chester. Her eyes widen and she sprang up from her bed, rushing to the window to see. Chester was outside their dorm, walking. Manny looked over, after pulling a sequined top over her head, and asked her what was wrong. Emma sputtered out what she was seeing, before Manny joined her. They watched curiously as he came to a stop right in front of a bus stop, leaning against it leisurely, before looking their way.

Both girls ducked quickly, before looking at each other. "Why is he here?" Emma nearly shouted, surprised. "I mean, I saw him at the coffee shop, and now, now outside the dorm! I mean, come on!" Manny looked over at her coyly, before looking back down again.

"Maybe this is a sign, Emma?" Emma stared at her friend as if she had grown another head. "What do you mean a sign? A sign of what, me losing my sanity?" Manny shook her head and giggled, before continuing her statement. "A sign that you, I don't know, shouldn't be with Kelly?" She ended the statement flinching, preparing to be hit by her friend. Strangely, her friends suspected punch never came. Manny opened one eye and looked at her friend, who seemed to actually be considering the statement.

"You know, Manny, you might be right…" Her eyes looked to her friend as she thought more about the statement. I mean, maybe the fact that her old crushes were coming back into her life, and causing her to break from her normal pattern, was the worlds way of saying, hey, things with Kelly aren't working. Manny wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder, before cracking a wicked smile.

"A good test of this new theory would be talking to Chester, don't you think" Emma's face visibly paled. She wasn't ready to talk to him, I mean, what if he didn't remember her, or what if he wasn't even Chester. Emma started to talk her way out of the situation, but Manny grabbed her arm, and pulled her up, leading her to the outside of the dorms, almost right up to him, before pushing her to talk to him. Chester saw her from the corner of his eyes, and smiled right at her. She blushed quickly and smiled back, making her way slowly towards her summer love.

She opened her mouth to talk to him, to say hi or something, but nothing came out. He walked up to her, and threw his arms around her, smiling widely as he held her tiny body against his. "Emma Nelson! I can't believe it's actually you!" Emma hugged him back tightly, letting her emotions get the better of her. He was just so cute and happy to she her, she couldn't help but return his embrace. They let go slowly, still smiling at each other. He complimented her, while looking her over. Emma smiled; this was just how she thought their reunion would be, except for the fact Manny was hiding in a bush.

Suddenly Emma heard her name being called, by an all too familiar voice. Kelly. She turned, still smiling, and looked at him. He was standing there, looking rather peeved, and carrying his guitar. He walked over, glaring at Chester on the way. Emma did her best to seem obvious of the situation, while Manny did her best to try and intervene without looking crazy by coming out from a bush.

Emma smiled and introduced Chester to him, and Chester, trying to be polite, stuck out his hand to Kelly, who promptly ignored the hand shake. He grabbed Emma by the arm, taking her a couple feet away, while Manny went over and talked to the cute Asian boy. "What the hell Emma! I try and call you all day, then when I come over, I see you all hot, hugging another guy?!" He was mad. Emma gulped, looking up at her boyfriend with big brown eyes, doing her best puppy dog face. She was in trouble, and she knew it. If this is how he reacted to her seeing Chester, Emma could even think about how he was going to react when she tells him about Peter tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

Kelly's eye were practically burning holes into his girlfriend, demanding that she answer why she was all cutesy with some other guy. She had been unknowingly avoiding him all day, and now, now he just wanted answers. Emma looked down at her feet, trying to figure out what to say. Honestly, she wanted to yell that he was over reacting, and that Chester was just a friend, but for some reason, she didn't. She stared back up at him, and spoke clearly.

"Chester's just a friend. And so is Peter."

Kelly's eyes widened before they reverted back into their glare. Peter?! So there was another. He was furious. "Emma, what the fuck are you talking about?!" Emma sighed, and explained, from the beginning. She looked at him, taking a breathe after her story had finished. He looked at her, dumbfounded. "So you talked to your ex boyfriend, and didn't tell me? And you spent all day, trying to look hot, for him?" He was worse then angry, worse then furious, her was … Emma didn't know, all she knew was that she didn't like it.

He was about to yell at her, and unleash his fury, but she raised her hand, and stopped him before he could. She looked up at him, eyes steady. "Maybe, we should break up now." She was confident, her words showed no signs of regret or remorse. Kelly glared at her, before shaking his head and storming off. She sighed, before turning back to her two friends, smiling once again. Somehow, she didn't seem to mind that she crushed the boy that two weeks earlier had been her one and only.

Chester looked at Manny for a moment, unsure of what to do, before once again embracing Emma. He was about to say something before the bus pulled up, opening its door right next to them. He released her from his hold and wrote something down quickly, handing it to the blonde. "Call me next time your free, okay Emmaline?" Emma nodded and smiled at her old nickname. She watched as the bus pulled out and left before returning to Manny, all smiles.

"Wow, not even five seconds single and you have already moved on." Manny looked over at her friend, happy to see her happy. "Well, do you want to stay out and do something, or go back inside; it's been a pretty hectic hour you know?" Emma laughed, looking over at her friend, before agreeing to go out again. Wrapping their arms around each other, they made their way to Emma's car.

They didn't party to long; Emma smiled and flirted, making sure that every guy there was positive that she was now single. Manny did the same, expect her approach was a lot more physical then Emma's was. Manny got drunk quickly, while Emma made sure to keep a clear, not wanting to ruin whatever tomorrow was going to be with a hangover. They left at 11, before Manny had decided to go into a room with an anonymous stranger. She was one hell of a drunk.

Emma sat up that night, anxious for the upcoming day, to see Peter, and to talk to Chester. Never before had she felt so good about breaking up with someone. It was like she closed one door and two more opened. She giggled and turned around in her bed, mentally preparing herself for the stress of the upcoming day. For the first time in about two months, Emma slept with a small smile on her face.

The two girls awoke to the sound of a blaring alarm clock. Once again Liberty had beaten the alarm, and managed to get ready, and leave there dorm without it going off. One annoying habit the two friends thought they all could live without. Manny growled, placing her pillow over her head, hoping that the noise would stop quickly. Emma flipped off the bed and hit the alarm, praying that she had hit the off, rather then snooze. She slowly made her way towards her hung-over friend, rubbing the girls back. Manny looked up at her with big brown eyes, as if to say, what happened to me last night? Emma opened her mouth to explain, but Manny was up and to the waste basket.

Emma sighed, rolling her eyes at her friend, and made her way to her closet, pulling out her outfit she was going to wear for Peter. She turned back to her friend, seeing that she was now cradling the basket between her legs. She giggled softly and pulled her friends hair back, knowing the second wave of nausea was coming soon. Emma sat bored as her friend threw up; this was not the way she had envisioned this morning. She had planned to spend hours on her look, curling her hair, and putting on makeup.

The blonde held the brunettes long hair for the next hour, until she was certain all the contents of her friend bowels had been emptied. She gathered up her tired friend in her arms and carried her to the bathroom, shoving her into the shower, turning it on. Her friend's eyes snapped open when her body was hit with the cold water. She quickly sobered up and screamed, bursting past Emma, soaked. Emma laughed; her friend never had horrid hangovers, at least, not too horrid.

Emma sighed, staring at herself in the bathroom mirror, trying to assess what should be done before she saw Peter in 3 hours. She sighed, and acknowledged the fact that she needed a lot of work. "Good thing you started the shower," Her best friend yelled from the other room, before entering, and changing into dry clothing. "Know you can shower, and then I can work on you. We only have a couple of hours." Manny left the room after she was threw changing, and Emma groaned, and stripped, stepping into the shower. She was in for quite a day.


End file.
